Cross-Bar Switch with Bandwidth Allocation

1. A method comprising the steps of: (a) recording traffic volume of packet data for a plurality of priority levels; (b) calculating a weighted average bandwidth for each priority level in said plurality of priority levels; (c) determining whether to reject packet data having a first priority level in said plurality of priority levels, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of: (1) determining whether an amount of packet data exceeds a first threshold; and (2) determining whether more than one weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceeds a first predetermined value, and (d) rejecting the packet data with said first priority level, if said step (c)(1) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said first threshold and said step (c)(2) determines that more than one weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b) exceeds said first predetermined value, wherein said first priority level has a highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first predetermined value is 0.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including the step of: (e) determining whether to reject packet data having a secured priority level in said plurality of priority levels.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said step (e) includes the steps of: (1) determining whether said amount of packet data exceeds a second threshold; and (2) determining whether more than two weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceeds a second predetermined value.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said second predetermined value and said first predetermined value equal 0.

6. The method of claim 4 , further including the step of: (f) rejecting packet data with said second priority level, if said step (e)(1) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said second threshold and said step (e)(2) determines that more than two weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed said second predetermined value, wherein said second priority level has a second highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

7. The method of claim 6 , further including the step of: (g) determining whether to reject packet data having a third priority level in said plurality of priority levels.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said step (g) includes the steps of: (1) determining whether an amount of packet data exceeds a third threshold; and (2) determining whether more than three weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed a third predetermined value.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said third predetermined value, said second predetermined value and said first predetermined value equal 0.

10. The method of claim 8 , further including the step of: (h) rejecting packet data with said third priority level, if said step (g)(1) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said third threshold and said step (g)(2) determines that more than three weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceeds said third predetermined value, wherein said third priority level has a third highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step (b) includes the steps of: (1) dividing a traffic volume recorded in said step (a) for a priority level in said plurality of priority levels by a priority weighting value for said priority level.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said traffic volume recorded in said step (a) for said priority level is a sum of traffic volume recorded in a plurality of time windows.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of time windows has 4 time windows.

14. A method comprising the steps of: (a) recording traffic volume of packet data for a plurality of priority levels; (b) calculating a weighted average bandwidth far each priority level in said plurality of priority levels; and (c) determining whether to reject packet data, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of: (1) determining whether an amount of packet data exceeds a first threshold; (2) determining whether more than one weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b) exceeds a predetermined value; (3) determining whether said amount of packet data exceeds a second threshold; (4) determining whether more than two weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed said predetermined value; (5) determining whether an amount of packet data exceeds a third threshold; and (6) determining whether more than three weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed said predetermined value.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including the step of: (d) rejecting packet data with a first priority level, if said step (c)(1) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said first threshold and said step (c)(2) determines that more then one weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b) exceeds said predetermined value, wherein said first priority level has a highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

16. The method of claim 15 , further including the step of: (e) rejecting packet data with a second priority level, if said step (c)(3) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said second threshold and said step (c)(4) determines that more than two weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed said predetermined value, wherein said second priority level has a second highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

17. The method of claim 16 , further including the step of: (f) rejecting packet data with a third priority level, if said step (c)(5) determines tat said amount of packet data exceeds said third threshold and said step (c)(6) determines that more than three weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed said predetermined value, wherein said third priority level has a third highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein said step (b) includes the steps of: (1) dividing a traffic volume recorded in said step (a) for a priority level in said plurality of priority levels by a priority weighting value for said priority level, wherein said traffic volume recorded in said step (a) for said priority level is a sum of traffic volume recorded in a plurality of time windows.

19. An apparatus comprising: a set of input ports to receive data packets; a set of sink ports in communication with said set of input ports to forward said data packets, wherein a first sink part in said set of sink ports is adapted to perform a method comprising the steps of: (a) recording traffic volume of packet data for a plurality of priority levels; (b) calculating a weighted average bandwidth for each priority level in said plurality of priority levels; and (c) determining whether to reject packet data having a first priority level in said plurality of priority levels, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of: (1) determining whether an amount of packet data exceeds a first threshold; and (2) determining whether more than one weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b) exceeds said first predetermined value; and (d) rejecting packet data with said first priority level, if said step (c)(1) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said first threshold and said step (c)(2) determines that more than one weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b) exceeds said first predetermined value, wherein said first priority level has a highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said method includes the step of: (e) determining whether to reject packet data having a second priority level in said plurality of priority levels.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said step (e) includes the steps of: (1) determining whether said amount of packet data exceeds a second threshold; and (2) determining whether more than two weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed a second predetermined value.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , further including the step of: (f) rejecting packet data with a second priority level, if said step (e)(1) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said second threshold and said step (e)(2) determines that more than two weighted avenge bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed said second predetermined value, wherein said second priority level has a second highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein said method includes the step of: (g) determining whether to reject packet data having a third priority level in said plurality of priority levels.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein said step (g) includes the steps of: (1) determining whether an amount of packet data exceeds a third threshold; and (2) determining whether more than three weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed a third predetermined value.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , further including the step of: (h) rejecting packet data with said third priority level, if said step (g)(1) determines that said amount of packet data exceeds said third threshold and said step (g)(2) determines that more than three weighted average bandwidths calculated in said step (b) exceed said third predetermined value, wherein said third priority level has a third highest weighted average bandwidth calculated in said step (b).

26. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said step (b) includes the steps of: (1) dividing a traffic volume recorded in said step (a) for a priority level in said plurality of priority levels by a priority weighting value for said priority level.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein said traffic volume recorded in said step (a) for said priority level is a sum of traffic volume recorded in a plurality of time windows.

28. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each sink port in said set of sink ports is adapted to perform a method comprising said steps of: (j) recording traffic volume of packet data for a plurality of priority levels; (k) calculating a weighted average bandwidth for each priority level in said plurality of priority levels; and (l) determining whether to reject packet data for a priority level in said set of priority levels.

29. The apparatus of 19 , further including a multi-sink port coupled to said set of input ports, wherein said multi-sink port is adapted to perform a method comprising the steps of: (m) recording traffic volume for packet data received by said multi-sink port for a plurality of priority levels; (n) calculating a weighted average bandwidth for each priority level in said plurality of priority levels; and (o) determining whether to reject packet data for a priority level in said set of priority levels.

30. The apparatus of claim 19 , further including a set of data rings in communication with said set of input ports and said set of sink ports.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein said set of data rings couples each sink port in said set of sink ports to each input port in said set of input ports.

32. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said apparatus is a cross-bar switch.